Pneumatic washing appliance.



M. LSMIIH.

PNEUMATIC WASHING APPLIANCE. APPLICATION FILED mac. f0. 1913.

1,138,806@ Patented May 11, 1915.

FIG. I.

atii WITNESS THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. FHOTG-LITHLLv WASHINGTDN, D, C.

sra'rns PATENT oFFion.

MARCUS L. S1VI'ITH, F SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

' 4 IPNEUMATICWAS-HINGAPPLIANCE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MARCUS L. SMITH, of Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pneumatic Washing Appliances, of which improvement the following is a specification.

My invention relates to appliances of the general class or type known as clothes pounders, in the operation of which articles of clothing or other materials to be washed are subjected to the cleansing action of water or soapy solution which is drawn and forced through and around them by manually operated means for the exertion,

in alternately opposite directions, of atmospheric pressure upon them.

The object of my invention is to provide an appliance ofsuch type which shall be simple, durable, and inexpensive in construction,and capable of effective and rapid op'eration with comparatively slight effort on the'part of the operator.

' The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth. 7 I

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a side view, in elevation, of a pneumatic washing appliance embodying my inven-' tion; Fig. 2, a plan or top view of the same;

Fig. 8, a vertical longitudinal central section; Fig. 4, 'a horizontal section, on the line a a of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a longitudinal central section,on an enlarged scale, through:

the piston chamber and piston; and,'Fig. 6,

a horizontal section, on the line b b of Fig. 5.

In the practice of my invention, I provide a oylindrical piston'chamber, 1, of suitable sheet metal, to which there is secured an outer truncated cone, .2, the upper and smaller end of which surrounds, and is preferably soldered to, the piston chamber, at about the middle of its length. The rim of the lower and larger end of the outer cone is turned over, and stiflened by the insertion of a, wire. An inner truncated cone, 3, of smaller diameter, is secured, preferably by soldering, to the lower end of the piston chamber, the lower and larger end of said inner cone being stifiened similarly to the corresponding end of the outer cone, 2, and being located at a higher level. The space between the inner and outer cones is divided, by inclined plates, 4, into a plurality of discharge compartments, 4:, of substan- 7 Specification of Letters Patent. P t nt d May 11, 1915,

Application filed December 10, 1913. Serial No. 805,679.

tween the inclined plate walls of each'dis charge compartment, and an open bottomed hood or deflector, 2", is soldered to the outer cone, in front of each opening. I

A tubular sheet metal piston, 5, which is secured, at its upper end, to a sheet metal head, 5*, is fitted to slide freely in the piston chamber, 1, the upper end of which is closed by a circumferentially flanged head, 1, in which are formed one or more openings, 1", for the passage of air. A tubular sheet metal handle casing, 6, is fitted in and secured to a central socket, 5 in the piston head, 5, and a wooden handle, 7 of proper length, is fitted in and secured to the casing, 6. A helical spring, 8, surrounds the casing, 6, the upper end of said spring bearing on a cotter pin, 6 extending through terials to be washed, which are immersed in soapy water in a tub, the lower ends of the innerv and outer cones, 2 and 8, bearing on the articles to be washed. The end of the outer cone acts substantially to form a water seal, and that of the inner cone, an air seal,

in the reciprocating movements of the piston. WVhen the latter is pushed down by the operator, and a compression stroke is effected, air is forced down through the materials to be cleaned and upwardly through them into the compartments, 4, and thence through'the openings, 2 to the atmosphere. The bottom open ends of the compartments, P, being above the water seal formed by the outer cone, and the air seal formed by the inner cone, the air which is compressed 1n the: outer cone by the downward movement ofthe appliance into thewater of the tub and'upon the materials to be washed, re

sists the upward movement of air through the materials to be Washed, into the compartments of the outer cone. The compressed air Within the outer cone assists in expelling the air forced down by the com-' T he upward movement of the piston, which is effected by thespring, 6, draws in air through the materials to be washed, whlch air is expelled in the ensuing downward stroke.

The, appliance is structurally simple, light, and inexpensive, and in operation, effects a "thorough circulation of air and water'through the materials to be washed, which greatly expedites the time required for cleansingcthem, and enables the work to be done with the least practicable effort on the part of the operator. The piston and operating handle and return spring being the only moving members, and no valves of any kind being used, there is practically no liability to breakage or derangement of the appliance.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a pneumatic washing appliance, the combination of a piston chamber, a piston fitted therein, means for reciprocating said piston, inner and outer cones fixed to the piston chamber, the inner cone projecting therefrom a lesser distance than the outer cone, and separated compartments located in the space between the inner and outer cones, each having through the outer cone.

2. In a pneumatic washing appliance, the combination of a piston chamber, a piston a v discharge opening fitted therein, means for reciprocating said piston, an outer cone secured to the piston chamber intermediate of its ends, an inner Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of'Patents.

cone secured to one end of the piston chamber and projecting therefrom a lesser distance than the outer cone, and plates interposed between the inner and outer cones and forming a plurality of separated compartments, each having a discharge opening through the outer cone.

3. In a pneumatic washing appliance, the combination of a piston chamber, a piston fitted therein consisting of a length of tubing closed near its upper end and having a tubular socket for the reception of a handle projecting upwardly therefrom, air passages in the top of said chamber and surrounding said piston, inner and outer cones fixed to the piston chamber, and plates interposed between said cones to form a plurality of separated compartments, certain of said compartments having a discharge opening through the outer cone.

Ina pneumatic washing appliance, the combination of a piston chamber, a piston fitted therein consisting of a length of tubing closed near its upper end and having a tubular socket for the reception of a handle projecting upwardly therefrom, air passages in the top of said chamber and surrounding said piston, inner and outer.

cones fixed'to the piston chamber, openings in said outer cone and a hood or deflector arran ed over the openings in said outer cone, plates interposed between said'cones to form a plurality of separate compartnients and certain of said compartments having a discharge opening through the said outer cone and under said hood or defiector.

, MARCUS L. SMITH. Witnesses: i W. L. SCHLAGER, S. SWINGLE.

Washington, I). 0. I 

